This towering Tottenham landmark gets its name from 14th century Scottish king Robert the Bruce, who once owned the land it was built on. It’s had a colourful history ever since, evolving from Tudor manor house to Victorian boarding school to its present-day incarnation as a local history museum and art gallery.
It houses the Borough of Haringey's collections and archives, including material relating to Alexandra Palace, Bruce Castle is a Grade I listed 16th century manor house set in 20 acres of parkland. William Compton, a member of Henry VIII’s court, built the oldest surviving parts of the building, which has been modified several times by new owners including the Coleraine family (one of the wives of the second Lord Coleraine is said to haunt the building). The family of Sir Rowland Hill, who reformed the British postal system and became famous for introducing the Penny Post, ran a progressive school for boys at Bruce Castle during the Victorian period.